This invention relates to a portable air purifier unit containing a high efficiency particle arrestor (HEPA) filter and, in particular, to a housing for an air purifier unit that has a minimum number of parts which can be brought together to provide a tight flow path through the housing which maximizes the filter's ability to remove potentially harmful contaminants from the air stream moving through the housing.
Many portable air purifiers employing HEPA filters require the use of elaborate, relatively expensive seals for rendering the flow path through the unit relatively air tight. In addition, these units are, generally bulky and thus difficult to move from place to place. The air handling equipment that is contained within the housing is sometimes mounted in such a way that the weight of the unit is unbalanced thus making lifting and carrying the unit unsafe. Similarly, many of the housings found in the prior art provide only limited access to the filter giving rise to problems when cleaning or changing the filter is necessary.
Accordingly, there is a present need for a light weight, easily portable air tight air purifying unit that affords clear and ready access to the filter contained in the unit. This need has become more pronounced as the air we breath becomes more polluted by emissions from automobiles and industrial plants. Because of the pollution in certain areas, people with respiratory problems are sometimes forced to remain indoors when the air quality drops below a safe value. Ideally, the indoor air should be further cleansed to protect the health and well being of those that suffer from respiratory problems. However, because of the cost of high efficiency air purifiers, the people most needing this type of equipment cannot afford it.